l there arose a universal, simultaneous
groan. As it died away the two attendants dressed as goddesses assisted
the personification of the Lady Isis to rise from her seat and, opening
the robes upon her breast, pointed to something beneath her throat,
doubtless that birthmark shaped like the new moon which made her so
sacred in their eyes since she who bore it and she alone could fill her
holy office.

All the audience and with them the priests and priestesses bowed before
her. She lifted the symbol of the Child, holding it high above her head,
whereon once more they bowed with the deepest veneration. Then still
holding the effigy aloft, she turned and with her two attendants passed
into the sanctuary and doubtless thence by a covered way into the house
beyond. At any rate we saw her no more.

As soon as she was gone the congregation, if I may call it so, leaving
their seats, swarmed down into the outer court of the temple through
its eastern gate, which was now opened. Here the priests proceeded to
distribute among them the offerings taken from the altar, giving a grain
of corn to each of the men to eat and a flower to each of the women,
which flower she kissed and hid in the bosom of her robe. Evidently it
was a kind of sacrament.

Ragnall lifted himself a little upon his hands and knees, and I saw that
his eyes glowed and his face was very pale.

"What are you going to do?" I asked.

"Demand that those people give me back my wife, whom they have stolen.
Don't try to stop me, Quatermain, I mean what I say."

"But, but," I stammered, "they never will and we are but three unarmed
men."

Hans lifted up his little yellow face between us.

"Baas," he hissed, "I have a thought. The Lord Baas wishes to get the
lady dressed like a bird as to her head and like one for burial as to
her body, who is, he says, his wife. But for us to take her from among
so many is impossible. Now what did that old witch-doctor Harut declare
just now? He declared, speaking for his fetish, that by our help alone
the White Kendah can resist the hosts of the Black Kendah and that no
harm must be done to us if the White Kendah would continue to live. So
it seems, Baas, that we have something to sell which the White Kendah
must buy, namely our help against the Black Kendah, for if we will not
fight for them, they believe that they cannot conquer their enemies and
kill the devil Jana. Well now, supposing that the Baas says that our
price i